Enabling factors toward production of nanostructured steel on an industrial scale

Utilizing the existing properties of steel, a modern technological society has been constructed. While there are over 25,000 worldwide equivalent steels based on manipulating the eutectoid transformation, there exist only a handful of commercial nanostructured steel alloys based on manipulating the more complex glass devitrification transformation. Thus, research on nanostructured steels is in its infancy, and many further developments are expected with the demonstrated promise of developing new combinations of superior properties. In this article, seven enabling metallurgical factors are presented that ultimately allow a variety of nanostructured steel products to be produced in an ever-increasing array of industrial processing techniques. Additionally, a case example of the formation of nanostructured steel are given showing how these factors can be harnessed on an industrial scale.